Posted by By Patrick Enilama [pastorpatrick@sunnewsonline.com] on
"The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works" Psm. 145:8-9 "Blessed be God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comfort." 2Cor. 1:3
The above scriptural references reveal the character of our God. Nothing reveals the character of God more than these two references: That the Lord Jesus is gracious and is full of compassion.
The dictionary tells us that to be full of compassion is to be merciful. So "compassion" and "mercy" are companion terms. "To have mercy" means to be full of compassion. God is full of compassion. He is of great mercy and his tender mercies are over all of his works. He will surely shower mercy on those that call upon him. I need His mercy. What about you?
Many think of "mercy" only in connection with the Lord having mercy on the sinner and saving him. There is the other side of the merciful nature of God which has to do not only with healing the sick but also setting you free when in fact you are guilty of a great wrong doing.
Is it not good to know that God is the father of mercies? Yes, He is a God of justice and mercy. If He wasn't; none us would be alive today. Many of us have committed heinous crimes for which we deserve not to live, but the merciful God overlooks and spares us.
God is merciful. Mercy is not just something God has or shares; it is part of His nature to dispense mercies.
I remember how in one of the national Holy Ghost Services at the Redemption Camp ground of RCCG, God displayed his great mercy. The service was about to end when suddenly (Daddy G.O) Pastor E.A. Adeboye said God has just forgiven someone who took part in a gruesome ritual murder. The fellow was among those who took part in a ritual murder. God said that because the murderer was present at the Holy Ghost service God has extended his hand of mercy to him and had forgiven him. What a merciful God we serve
JUSTICE OR MERCY:
Then how do you see the story in John Chapter 8 about the woman who was caught in adultery? Under the law she was supposed to be stoned to death. As the people who accused her prepared to stone her, they asked Jesus about law. He answered them by saying, "let him who is without sin cast the first stone." (Verse 7) Then Jesus stooped down and wrote something in the sand when He looked up every one was gone. He said, "woman, where are your accusers? She said, I have none" so Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." What a merciful God. God will send someone free in a lawsuit in which he is obviously guilty. If you are the one jump up and praise the Lord. Someone can do wrong but God might decide to show mercy on the wrong doer. God is a God of justice but He is also the Father of mercies, if He wasn't none of us would be alive today. Who can question God?
Today God wants to shower you with his mercy on that difficulty matters. That particular problem which you are in will be resolved mercifully in your favour in Jesus name. I can see God stretching his hand of mercy to deliver you from that difficult problem.
HEALING AND COMPASSION:
Jesus is the will of God in action and his compassion to all is great. "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, if thou will thou canst make me clean. And Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was cleaned Mk. 1:40-42. Notice that compassion moved Jesus to heal the leper. Healing is a display of God's compassion as in other realms of human endeavour.
And in Matt. 14:13-14 "Jesus departed thence by ship unto a desert place apart: and when the people had heard they followed him on foot out to the cities. And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and healed their sick". God is great. May God bless you and keep you from troubles. May the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen.